


Coterminus

by meanestvenus



Category: Free!
Genre: F/F, Female Hazuki Nagisa, Female Matsuoka Rin, Female Nanase Haruka, Female Ryuugazaki Rei, Female Tachibana Makoto, Fluff and Angst, Genderswap, Rule 63, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 04:05:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13356129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meanestvenus/pseuds/meanestvenus
Summary: "Stop staring at me," Rin said, pointedly not making eye contact with Haru."I can look where I like," Haru said calmly.Haru is the first to spot Rin's hickey, but she absolutely doesn't care; she's just disappointed because she always thought Rin was a romantic, that's all.





	Coterminus

**Author's Note:**

> Actually part of a series I'm trying to write. But it's all I can get my shit together with, maybe ever, so here it is: Rin's having some fun with Sousuke that she thinks is no strings attached while she's very confused about Haru. Haru is as stubborn as Rin but even less in touch with her feelings. Nagisa is a mischevious sex fiend. Rei is pure and earnest and probably a sub, and Makoto is the mom friend, sent from above to mediate their nonsense. Also, Nagisa is not an asshole, she's just trying to make Haru recognize at least some of her feelings for Rin.

Haru noticed first. Not that she was watching Rin, but Rin was there, and every so often she would push her messy, almost-shoulder-length hair back from her face. She was wearing a thick black choker because she cared about things like fashion, and Haru felt like she saw a lovebite peeking out. She wasn't sure until Rin turned partway around in her chair to tell Gou something as he left and twisted to bare her neck. Haru had seen enough on Rei and Nagisa in just the two months they had been together that she could tell it was recent, even.

Makoto caught on that her repeated glances had become a stare because she almost imperceptibly raised an eyebrow as if to say, what's got you so focused? And then Haru looked down at her milkshake, letting her smooth bangs fall into her face, but Makoto glanced at Rin and immediately saw it. Makoto noticed everything. Unfortunately, this included Haru's noticing. 

Rin and Haru had finally achieved something like their old friendship, maybe more reticent than that--but any word, any touch, any win, any loss could throw everything off balance. Somehow, everything was fragile. 

Rin glanced up at Haru and quickly looked away while Haru was content to blatantly stare. Haru glanced upwards from Rin’s sharp collarbones to the base of her neck to the dark bruise just peeking out from black velvet, and Rin's cheeks flushed. 

"Stop staring at me," she said, pointedly not making eye contact with Haru. 

"I can look where I like." Haru said calmly, and Rin looked irritated, opened her mouth to sass back--

"What's so interesting about Rin’s face?" Nagisa chirped, suddenly paying attention. Haru stayed silent. Nagisa quickly gave up looking at Haru for answers and turned to Rin with that intensity in her eyes that said she would do everything in her power to know whatever was so interesting as soon as possible. Nagisa was ruthless when it came to secrets. 

"So, ah, do you guys want to go see that new stationary store by the candy place? Nagisa, we could also stop in the candy store, get those peppermints you like?” Makoto interjected into the tension.

Rei pushed up her glasses, all sensibly cut long hair and pale skin. "I've actually been telling Nagisa that she should watch her sugar intake, when she went to the dentist last month she had two new cavities, and as I'm sure you're aware the best--”

Nagisa's eyes zeroed in on the hickey just peeking out of Rin's choker and her smile slowly grew. To an outsider she would have looked adorable, but her friends knew better. "Rin, you didn't tell us about your new friend. No wonder Haru’s pouting." 

Rin turned completely red, including the neck in question, and choked on her drink. She immediately slapped a hand over the mark, as if that would make everyone forget it was there. Makoto leaned over to thump her on the back generously.

Haru crossed her arms. "Not pouting," she muttered. 

"It's perfectly understandable if you take into consideration Rin’s symmetrical face and aesthetically pleasing lip shape and fullness," Rei added. Nagisa nodded, wavy pigtails bobbing. 

"Welcome to the club," she grinned, leaning back and putting a petite arm around Rei. "Who's the lucky...person?"

"Nagisa, she doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to," Makoto admonished, but her face looked conflicted, as if she was slightly curious too.

Rin was still bright red and somewhat shocked, her eyes watery from coughing. She had really thought the choker was thick enough to cover her hickey. 

Haru sniffed. "It's not even that dark," she muttered, but Rin picked up on it and her jaw set. She suddenly looked less embarrassed. 

Nagisa laughed. "Darker than you've ever had." Everyone's eyebrows raised, but Nagisa hadn’t said it meanly, just to tease Haru a bit. Her eyes were twinkling devilishly, and she chewed her straw with a grin while Rei looked slightly uncomfortable.

Haru pretended she had no reason to feel insulted and drank her shake. 

"Um, looks like you got there before me, at least," Makoto said, trying to bridge the awkward moment. 

Rin shrugged, even though her whole body looked tense. "I figured I wasn't waiting for anything." 

Haru stared off into the street, deciding if she wanted to go home or to the ocean. 

"Yeah, bite that bullet, Rin! Although it looks like you were the one getting bitten," Nagisa giggled and Makoto coughed to cover a laugh but shot a concerned glance at Haru. 

Haru stood up abruptly, and without saying anything, got out of the bench and left. 

"Haru-sempai!" Rei called, and Nagisa and Makoto called too, but Haru stubbornly walked away, fisting her hands in her overalls pockets. 

She had been gone a few minutes when she heard running behind her and felt a warm hand on her upper arm. She didn't turn. 

"What was that? We haven't been able to hang out in two weeks, Haru," Rin said, annoyed. 

"It's fine if you have better things to do," Haru said, continuing to walk. 

"Haru," Rin sighed, exasperated. She sped up to meet Haru’s pace. "What do you want from me?" 

Haru stopped and looked Rin full in the eyes, bright blue into deep violet-red. She took a moment to just look, and then another, and Rin felt her chest tighten. 

"Are you in love?" 

"What?!" Rin squawked, brilliant red all over again. 

"I just thought you were a romantic, that's all," Haru said dismissively, walking away. 

Rin grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall, behind a stand brimming with souvenirs . She propped an arm on one side of Haru and stepped in close so Haru couldn't escape. They glared at each other, and then Rin relented under Haru’s impenetrable gaze and looked down at their shoes. 

"I wanted to know what it was like," Rin said quietly. 

"And?" The soft word slipped out before Haru even registered thinking it. 

Rins head snapped up, her mouth open in surprise. Her cheeks were softly red. 

"I want to know too," Haru said petulantly, and she felt the heat that came before her faintest of blushes.

Rin's eyes dipped to Haru's mouth and back to her eyes, and Haru straightened up, looking directly back at Rin. Her sharp liquid eyeliner was slightly smudged in one spot from when her eyes watered from coughing so hard. She was still flushed down to the vee of her shirt, but her expression was more subdued now, nervous even. And then somehow, she was leaning in to Haru slightly, as if there was something pulling her in and Haru could smell her warm perfume, she could tell it had some cinnamon in it, and Rin was even closer now but she stayed as still as possible, 

And then they heard Nagisa's voice just on the other side of the stand and Rin leaped back. Haru hit her head on the wall, they jumped away from each other so violently. 

"Rin!" Nagisa cheered. 

"Rin, did you see where Haru went?" Makoto asked. 

"No, I couldn't find her. I, um, should get back to the dorms," Rin said, running a hand through her hair as Haru watched from the shadows. Haru watched as they said goodbye and then Rin dashed away. Haru let her friends pass so she could join them from behind as if she'd taken a different route. She was quiet when she rejoined them, and walked with Makoto silently towards their houses. 

Who was it? Seijuro? He was always teasing or hanging off of Rin at practise...Some guy at school? Or was it a girl, maybe? Rin had always had her most intense friendships with girls, after all...

Haru finally let herself touch her lips in the bath, just the barest of touches, lighter even than Rin’s breath had been. She wondered how hard whoever it was had needed to suck and bite Rin’s neck to leave those marks... had Rin made noises? Probably, she was always irritatingly loud when she talked...then Haru thought it was a stupid thing to wonder about. Rin was barely her friend again, after all, and even then she still managed to annoy Haru consistently and without remorse. Haru dunked her head under the water. And she only allowed herself to think about how the water felt, enveloping her hot skin. She knew her fingers would be all wrinkly by the time she got out and that, at least, was normal. 


End file.
